Ike Turner, legendary music icon and former husband of the inimitable Tina Turner, died last week about the same time I wrote last week’s article discussing the condition of the dead. Another music legend, Easy-Rock singer and songwriter Dan Fogelberg, died shortly thereafter. Ike and Dan. “I” and “D.” How do we “ID” the condition of “I” & “D”? Where are they now? Well, the Bible identifies their state of mind: if they’re like the billions who died before them, they’re in a deep, restful sleep; totally unconscious. As referenced last week, here’s how the Bible puts it:

“For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5) Yes, the dead “are conscious of nothing at all.” It’s that plain and simple. Since they’re unconscious, “their love and their hate and their jealousy have already perished, and they have no portion anymore to time indefinite in anything that has to be done under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 9:6) Like a person who’s in a deep sleep, they’re incapable of showing emotions like “love,” “hate,” or “jealousy.”

So, if we’ve set goals in life we better start thinking about getting them done while we’re alive because in death we won’t be thinking about anything. That’s why the same inspired writer of Ecclesiastes says: “All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol [Hebrew word for “grave”], the place to which you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) No, as far as our fleshly bodies are concerned, we’re no better off than a dead dog. Note how the Bible puts it:

“I, even I, have said in my heart with regard to the sons of mankind that the [true] God is going to select them, that they may see that they themselves are beasts. For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust.” (Ecclesiastes 3:18-20) An animal carcass deteriorates just as does a man’s.

Both the First and Second Testaments of the Bible characterize an earthly resurrection as restful sleep. For example, in the last verse of the book bearing his name, Daniel is told: “And as for you yourself, go toward the end; and you will rest, but you will stand up for your lot at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:13) Indeed, Daniel would rest in the sleep that is death and then “stand up” in a resurrection “at the end of the days.” (More on the resurrection in a future segment.) Also, Prophet Isaiah wrote: “Even Sheol underneath has become agitated at you in order to meet you on coming in. At you it has awakened those impotent in death.” (Isaiah 14:9) Those harmlessly asleep “in death” most assuredly can be “awakened.”

Aside from Jesus referring to Lazarus’ death as sleep in the Second Testament (John 11:11-14), there are other instances where Jesus associated death with sleep. When he resurrected one young man he yelled: “Young man, I say to you, Get up [or, “wake up!”]!” (Luke 7:14) Just before resurrecting a young girl Luke further writes: “He took her by the hand and called, saying: “Girl, get up (or, “wake up!”)!” (Luke 8:54) You did the same thing when your mother sent you in to wake up your brother. You said: “Wake up, boy!” The only difference between you and Jesus is that he woke up those resting in sleep.

But everyone Jesus resurrected died again. So, what was the point? Stay tuned for the next installment!

Dr. Firpo Carr n can be reached at (800) 501-2713 or email firpocarr@stirinc.org.